Fire fighter&#39;s tool



July 31, 1951 v. A. KALISH 2,562,794

FIRE FIGHTER S TOOL Filed Nov. 17, 1947 INVENTOR. VICTOR A. KAusH i 'atenteci July 31 ApnlicatiomNoveinlieril'i, 1947, Serial No.i7;86,458

' claims." (01. ees-134) This invention relates fi 's fishtifie ate-1. ment and particularly to -a tool-especiallyadapted to open locked windows at a considerable height above the ground and to lower the same. Heretofore, considerable difiiculty has been en: countered in openinglocked windows of .abuilding or house on fire, especially if the window is above the ground floor, and whatever .imple ments have been used {for this purpose were uni f y d ually e ulte n br kin the window pane. Usually the .practice has been for the'fireman to raise aladder to the window and if the window was locked to break the pane in order to gain accessinto the interioriof the burning building. Inmany instances it would be desirable to close a window to cut off the draft but the breaking of a window pane. precluded such an act.

An important object 'ofprovide a novel tool so constructedrl hat it may open locked windows from the ground level with-u out diificultyzand without the likelihood of breaks ing the window pane. ,Another -;important object of the invention is to provide a'device; or this character which is shaped in a inovelmanner for j. the dual function of breaking the -.lock and;op cn- I ing the window and for closing the window. .A,

further important feature of the invention is the provision of an improved -fire fighting toolwhich is capable -of opening locked windows at .CDIlSid-r erable heights above the ground and closing the same thereafter without requirinenthesfireman to climb a ladder for this purpose.

n a a mao i eiinven ion the toomom- G- m m ree onee ed h les r r le constructed in an improved -manner for detach: able connection one to the other and an improved .foperati'ng head so constructed that will apply an; equal pressure to awindow sash rail -on opposite sides of the lock thereof and apply -a force in a vertical direction to break the look, if necessary, and open the window. Another rimportant feature of the invention is the. offset character of the operating portion of the head from the portion which 'is corinecft edto ithe po le sections whereby the tool can be used -around window sills and applva verticalpressure to the window to openpr close. the same. Another important i'eature of the invention is the provision on-the operatinghead of the tool of hook-shaped elements which enables the tool to be used to lower .a window once o pened thereby. .Afurther important feature to the inventionis the provision of gripping surfaces .or indentations on the wi engages re iieeei that-s ir ess this invention is to.

ables at; bite into "aile wmdtwgashioijiiii in the raising'operation and also enables the :tool to be grippingly connected to awindow sash when it cannot be lowered by the hook-shaped. elements. r 1

Various other. :obiects,.,iadvantae s meriei torious 1featuresfof :the invention will becomev more fully'apparent from the following SDBQifiQa tions, appended-claims and accompanying drawings,-.wher.ein:1

Fig. l is avertical-Seotioria view zthroughia window frame iliustr tinethe esition of the tool-- prior o raising on fi t s w ndowsthereor,

Fig. 2 is. a verticalgsectiona view through a. window .irame similar :to Fig, illustrating the. position-of the toolior; lowering awindow," h

Fig. Bis a frontielevaition of the-operatingeend;

olehandle, rtical'js'ectional view of pl taken: :along; :line.

.Fig. 5 is. a side e ev ti hforia differentefines fighters .tooly-constru tedior detachable iconnectionitoitheepolehandle Fig. 6 is a top viewbf the operating naajf..,tne"

tool taken alongiline fi zfi o Fig... 3, and

Fig. 7.15 a detailisectional yview o'fa'window sash rail and the.toolyr-illustratit g anotherimethi ad of using the toolu-toi lqwerz-gth window.

Aetool iconstructedein} accordance with Ithi vention. is lgenerally.indicatedratilll. IItis -pro-.

vided with an .upper window engaging end and .a;

lower. connecting end .for idetachable securement. to an elongated handleonpole. One of..these;.-, poles isindicated at 1:2 and-is preferablyofztubue' lar formation shaped at its upper end foredis' connectible connection to the lower end ofthea tool .lll. The tool is shown in Figs, 1 and 2 as applied-to a window foroperiing 'andaclosiiigthe.

same respectively. ,.'I he tool isfliso-. constructed..

thatit is: capab1,e.ofraisingwindoWsashes with-; out breaking the window pane even though the window is locked: For aOIJEIatiOIIS ;on windows at;

considerable heightsiabove :the ground, such as:

thetliird aIJd fOUBthQflOOI'S-Oi the bur ning build I ing, additional tubular pole handle sections are coupled in end to 'endrelationship to the pole section 2 illustrated herein. The disconnectiblef' connection illustrated in detail in Fig. 4 maybe" used for connecting the poles detachablei'en'd-f wise relationship. J

The 'totaflll empress, in general three 'por'-' tions one of which serves as an intermediateconnection predisposing. the other two portion s in emanner of detachablyf ofiset planes to one another. This intermediate portion is indicated at [4 and as shown in Fig. l is preferably so related to the other portions of the tool that in the operating position it assumes an inclination to the vertical as shown in Fig. l. The lower end portion I6 is provided with a reduced cylinder end section I8 which is adapted to be telescopingly coupled to the upper end of the pole I2. and lockedgthereto. in the manner hereinafter described. e f I The upper end portion 20 of the tool comlocated on opposite sides of a recess or notch 24 located on the longitudinal median line" of the The forks 22-22 areadapted to. engage tool.

The disconnectible coupling between the lower end of the tool and a pole handle section is illustrated in Fig. 4. Reciprocably mounted in the lower end of the tool and projecting from one side thereof is a button shaped member or detent 34. A hole is provided on the side wall of the lower end of the tool in which this detent is mounted for movement. The inside end of the detent-is secured by means .of a screw 36 or otherwise to the end of a fiexiblej'metal blade 38. The opposite lend of the detent is secured in any ;-suitable manner by rivets 40 or otherwise to the inside surface of the tubular section l8. Normany the spring blade 38 urges the detent 34 to its outmost position such as that shown in Fig. 4. 'The' upper end 'of the pole I2 is provided with a hole 42 shown-in Fig. 3, which is adapted to rea window sash rail on opposite sides of a lock therefor and upon upward pressure being applied to the tool cause the sashto break the lock and raise the window.

The upper operating end of the'tool I0 is provided with gripping surfaces preferably in theform of a criss-crossing indentations or grooves in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. The gripping surfaces provided on the ends of the forked sections 22-22 are shown at 26 in Figs. :3 and 6. Similarly, the downward and inclined sides 28-28 of the notch 24 may be provided with criss-crossing grooves as illustrated in Fig. 6.

The upper end portion of the tool is provided with novel means for lowering a window. This means comprises ahook 30 on the upper outer side of each fork section 26. These hooks are preferably integrally formed with the plate portion 20 and project laterally in the plane thereof. When it is desired to use these hooks to lower a window the device is turned so that the plane of the plate 20 is perpendicular to the plane of the window and one of the hooks 30 thereof is engaged over the upper edge-of a sash rail in the manner illustrated in Fig.2. The rail usually preferred for this operation is the lower rail of the sash asshown-and upon downward pulling movement of the tool the window will be' closed. I

In addition to the gripping surfaces previously described the tool is provided with gripping surfaces on the outer faces of the plate portion secwindow. having a sash-or rail with which the hooks 30-30 are incapable of satisfactorily en-' gaging for this purpose. Quite frequently it is necessary for the firemen to lower a window.

usually of metal, wherein the rail or the putty used to secure the pane in'place extends at such a slope that the hooks 30- cannot satisfactorily engage the same. countered the tool is raised so that the lower rail of the window is received transversely through the notch 24. Thereafter upon turning the toolupon its axis one of the gripping. surfaces 32 on one side of the tool will engage and bite into the v rail while at the same time a gripping surface 32 on the other side of the tool will engage the opposite side of the rail in the manner shown in Fig. 7. If a sufficient twisting forcev is applied to the tool the two engaging gripping surfaces 32-32 will wedge tightly into engagement with the rail and thereafter upon pulling down of the $001 the window will be lowered.

When this condition is en-- ceive the detent 34 and lock the two elements together. The detent 34 is mounted as shown so that upon slidable telescoping movement of the tube-l2 thereover the detent will retract within the-plane of-the tubular section lfl until the hole 42 of the tubelz is brought opposite to the detent -34. Thereafter the detent will spring into the hole and'lock the two members against axial and rotational movement relative to one another. 'For'use at considerable heights, as previously mentioned, a plurality of pole sections I2 can be detachably connectedin end-to-end relationship;

In place ofthe tool I0, other fire fighting de-' vices may be attached to the pole sections.

There is illustrated in Fig. 5a firemans pike pull' or plaster hook generally'indicated at 44. The

pike is provided with a reduced cylindricalend tion 46 isprovided with a retractible detent 48 like the detent 34 previously described. The attaching 'end 46 of the pike ispreferably made exactly likethe coupling end-i8 of the tool l0 so that the-tools are readily interchangeable in use. In addition to thepike- 44; Pompier ladder hooksmay be similarly constructed for detachable connection to the ends of-the pole sections;

Whatever tool is used, the form of connection is such-that the tool is held from longitudinal and rotational movement on the upper end of the pole" tubular pole section and can be quickly removed and attached thereto; Each pole section may be provided with such a pair of holes for receiving the bar so that it may be used on the lowermost pole-section regardless of the number of pole sections coupled together.

What Iclaim is:

1. A window opening and closing device com prising, in combination, a plate member bifurcated to provide two upwardly projecting forked Y sectionsythe upper edges of said sections extend ing in the same horizontal .plane and being in-" dented with criss-crossing grooves to form'gripping surfaces, laterally extending hooks on the outer side edges of said forked sections for en-" gaging the upper side of a rail of a' window sash,

78a handle attaching section on the device, and

This bar is slidably received inaligned holes formed in opposite sides of the pieatters mews 'in stinstherhaiidl asection to the pl dow opening and c g} comprising," op, member bent intermediate its ends so as toolspose the upper end section thereof in a plane parallel to but in spaced offset relationship to the lower end section thereof, a handle, means for detachably connecting the handle to the lower section of the plate member, said upper plate section being bifurcated in order to engage the underside of a window sash rail and straddle a lock thereon to break the lock and raise the sash and being provided with one or more outwardly extending hook shaped elements adapted to engage the upper side of a rail of a window sash and lower the same.

' 3. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combination, a plate member having a vertical section adjacent to the upper end thereof and a downwardly inclined section adjacent to the lower end thereof, a handle engaging section secured to the lower end of the downwardly inclined section and extending in substantially parallel relationship to the upper end section, said upper end section being bifurcated to provide two forked portions having their upper ends extending in substantially the same horizontal plane and their outer side portions shaped in the form of downwardly extending hooks.

4. A fire fighters implement comprising, in combination, a bifurcated member having a fiat surface adapted to be brought into juxtaposition to a pane of a window and having the forked sections shaped to engage the underside of the upper rail of a window sash to raise the same, said member having oppositely extending lateral projections shaped in the form of hooks adapted when the implement is rotated 90 degrees to engage the upper edge of a rail of a window sash to lower the same.

5. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combination, a member of fiat sheet metal stock widened at its upper end and provided with a downwardly inclined lower end section, the upper end of the member being bifurcated and provided with indentations on the upper edges thereof for gripping engagement with the underside of a rail of a window, the upper end of the member further provided with laterally extending downwardly bent elements formed integrally with a member and shaped to provide hooks.

6. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combination, a member of flat sheet metal stock, the upper end section of the member being widened and bifurcated for engagement with the underside of a rail of a window sash, the lower end section of the member being reduced in width and inclining downwardly from the upper section, and means on the lower end of the downwardly inclined section for detachably connecting a pole thereto and projectionably extending the pole in a plane substantially parallel but offset to the plane of the upper section of the member.

7. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combinatiornzi cylindrical rod section, a flat plate sectiombifnreated at its upper end to engage the underside'of a rail of a window sash, and an intermediate section connected to the lower end ofthe bifurcated plate section and to the upper end of the cylindrical rod section and being inclined to the planes thereof so as to dispose the a plate member bent intermediate its ends so as to dispose the upper end section thereof in a plane substantially parallel to but in spaced offset relationship to the lower end section thereof, means on the lower end section of the plate member for detachably connecting the same to an elongated handle, said upper end section being bifurcated to provide two spaced apart correspondingly shaped forked portions shaped to engage the underside of a window sash rail and straddle the locking area thereof, said upper end section being further provided with indentations on its opposite faces adjacent to the space between said forked portions toform gripping surfaces for engagement with the opposite sides of a window sash rail positioned between the forked portions.

10. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combination, a member of flatsheet metal stock having a recess in one end thereof forming two correspondingly shaped forked sections on opposite sides of the recess, the upper edges of said forked sections extending straight and in the same plane and being indented to provide gripping surfaces for contact with the underside of a rail of a window sash, and the opposite sides of said member along the margin of said recess being provided with indentations forming gripping surfaces adapted to engage the opposite sides of a rail of a window sash extending through the recess.

11. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combination, a fiat metallic member adapted in use to extend in substantially a vertical plane and provided in the upper end thereof with a, recess forming two similarly shaped forked sections on the opposite sides of the recess, the upper edges of said forked sections extending straight and in the same plane for engagement with the underside of the upper rail of a window sash to raise the same, and a hook on the outer end of each fork section projecting laterally therefrom in the plane of the member and adapted when the tool is rotated approximately to engage the upper edge of a rail of a window sash to lower the same.

12. A fire fighters tool comprising, in combination, a flat metallic member adapted in use to extend in substantially a vertical plane and provided in the upper end thereof with a recess dividing the plate member into two similarly shaped forked sections on the opposite sides of the recess, the upper edges of said fork sections extendin straight and in the same plane for engagement with the underside of the upper rail of a window sash to raise the same, a hook on the outer end of each fork section projecting laterally therefrom in the plane of the member and adapted when the tool is rotated approximately 90 to engage the upper edge of a rail oinwindow sash to lower the same, the surface area of the plate member immediately adjacent to said recess being indented to form a frictional gripfor engaging the opposite sides of a rail of a window sash extending through the recess.- 1

r 1 VICTOR A. KALISH.

. REFERENCES, crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATESPA'I'ENTS- Number Home Aug. 29, 1922 

